Four Simple Steps to Food Safety

We inspect all food service operations and retail food establishments in the City of Cincinnati to ensure compliance with the Ohio Uniform Food Safety Code.

As sanitarians inspect each food service operation, they identify violations that may contribute to food contamination or illness. Compliance standards are related primarily to:

food protection

time and temperature requirements

employee hygiene

cleaning/sanitizing of equipment & utensils

hand-washing facilities

water and sewage services

restroom facilities

waste disposal

pest control

maintenance of floors, walls and ceilings

sufficient lighting and ventilation

proper storage and display of toxic materials

Inspection Records

Each inspection report is a "snapshot" of restaurant conditions on the day and time of that inspection. On any given day, an establishment may have more or fewer violations than posted here. Any individual inspection may not be representative of the overall, long-term cleanliness of an establishment.

If you encounter a problem or have a concern while visiting a retail food establishment or food service operation, tell the manager and ask that it be corrected.

If you are not satisfied with the response, or if you have a suspected food borne illness to report, contact our office immediately by telephone or online by using 5916000.com (for type of service, select "Food Operations"). All complaints will be investigated.

Types Of Inspections

Routine Inspection: This is an inspection that is unannounced to the restaurant. An inspector will conduct a complete inspection covering all items in the regulations for compliance.

Follow-up Inspection: This is an inspection for the specific purpose of re-inspecting violations that were not in compliance at the time of the routine inspection.

Critical Control Point Inspection: This type of inspection, which is conducted in food service operations, involves analyzing recipes and tracking potentially hazardous foods from the loading dock to the table, to assure all food is safe and wholesome.

Process Review Inspection: This type of inspection, which is conducted in retail food establishments, involves analyzing recipes and tracking potentially hazardous foods from the loading dock to the table, to assure all food is safe and wholesome.

Complaint Inspection: This is an inspection conducted as a result of a complaint received by the Health Department. The specifics of the complaint will be evaluated and discussed with the person in charge.

Food-borne Illness Investigation: Food-borne illness complaints are received and a food inspector conducts an inspection at the facility reported to be involved in the food-borne illness. The inspection focuses on food source, storage practices, food processing techniques, food handling and employee practices.